A Cleanse Worth Considering...
I happened to be standing in my kitchen thinking about writing a blog...hmmm...what should I write about this week? As I stared straight ahead, my answer was staring right back at me from the kitchen counter. One container of bentonite and one container of psyllium husks powder. That's right...the two ingredients I use when I embark on a colon cleanse. Okay, I am quite sure you are thinking "I don't believe I will read any further." Frankly, I wouldn't blame you. Trust me...your potential mental visual is much worse than anything I will write! Actually, I began to ponder that part of the physical body as it relates to the spiritual 'body of Christ'. I chuckled as I thought that the colon probably coined the phrase, "...It's a dirty job; but somebody's got to do it!" And the colon indeed keeps on doing that job. I believe that I need to provide some routine maintenance for that body part if I want it to continue to perform well. Therefore...I cleanse. I trust that if I help to take care of my colon, it will help to take care of me.
Knowing that the colon is responsible for ridding the physical body of unnecessary waste, I am thinking that there is a correlating part of the spiritual body of Christ that is just as necessary to 'remove waste'. Have you ever encountered someone who just seems to know what is wise and good and right, and they don't mess around when it comes to delivering that message to the necessary audience?! My daughter would say, "They just lay the smack down, and that is good!" In other words (hopefully more universally understood!), these people possess a knack for nailing truth. When the truth sounds beautiful it is easy to take. It goes down smoothly and digests well. But when the truth feels hard and hurtful, it is not so easy to take. It seems to get stuck in the throat and then leaves a lump in the pit of the stomach as it churns and churns, feeling as if it will never digest! However, it is still TRUTH...whether it 'feels' good or not! It must be revealed. It must be confronted. It must be dealt with. Of course, all of this must be done in a healthy, appropriate, Spirit-led manner. That is where the 'truth-teller' must excel.
This is just my thinking here, but I believe the 'colon' of the body of Christ is that person who has been blessed by God with the spiritual gift of 'discernment'...our 'truth-teller'. According to my dictionary, discernment means "keenness in seeing and understanding; good judgment; shrewdness." It lists one of the synonyms as "insight". The quote used in this dictionary is by Cardinal Manning, "The eye of the soul acquires a discernment whereby some can instantly read the character of others." Cool! NOT cool if not ultimately led by the Spirit of God. Misguided truth-tellers are not about using their insights for helping and healing. They use their 'insights' for maligning and hurting...probably because they themselves hurt so much. Healthy truth-tellers truly want what is best for people...even though the truth may hurt.
We all need those discerning, healthy truth-tellers in our lives; people who help us to make wise choices, to see things with more than just our eyes; people who are willing to chastise and correct us when we are making questionable choices. Hmmm...I believe Beth would refer to this as 'accountability'. That word just keeps coming back; it is so vital and necessary! We also need to help keep our truth-tellers healthy. Don't ignore them. Don't pretend their words of truth don't matter. Allow them to help you process...or should I say 'digest' those areas of concern in your life. Allow them to help you get rid of the waste and hang on to the 'nutrition' in your life. Discerning,healthy truth-tellers need encouragement. It's hard to keep telling the truth if that person never feels as though it is making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Do you have 'truth-tellers' in your life? Help them to stay healthy by doing a 'cleanse' for them every once in a while. How? Know that they are a gift from God. Thank them; encourage them; understand that their job can feel very dirty...but somebody has to do it!
Thanks for reading,
Libby
Knowing that the colon is responsible for ridding the physical body of unnecessary waste, I am thinking that there is a correlating part of the spiritual body of Christ that is just as necessary to 'remove waste'. Have you ever encountered someone who just seems to know what is wise and good and right, and they don't mess around when it comes to delivering that message to the necessary audience?! My daughter would say, "They just lay the smack down, and that is good!" In other words (hopefully more universally understood!), these people possess a knack for nailing truth. When the truth sounds beautiful it is easy to take. It goes down smoothly and digests well. But when the truth feels hard and hurtful, it is not so easy to take. It seems to get stuck in the throat and then leaves a lump in the pit of the stomach as it churns and churns, feeling as if it will never digest! However, it is still TRUTH...whether it 'feels' good or not! It must be revealed. It must be confronted. It must be dealt with. Of course, all of this must be done in a healthy, appropriate, Spirit-led manner. That is where the 'truth-teller' must excel.
This is just my thinking here, but I believe the 'colon' of the body of Christ is that person who has been blessed by God with the spiritual gift of 'discernment'...our 'truth-teller'. According to my dictionary, discernment means "keenness in seeing and understanding; good judgment; shrewdness." It lists one of the synonyms as "insight". The quote used in this dictionary is by Cardinal Manning, "The eye of the soul acquires a discernment whereby some can instantly read the character of others." Cool! NOT cool if not ultimately led by the Spirit of God. Misguided truth-tellers are not about using their insights for helping and healing. They use their 'insights' for maligning and hurting...probably because they themselves hurt so much. Healthy truth-tellers truly want what is best for people...even though the truth may hurt.
We all need those discerning, healthy truth-tellers in our lives; people who help us to make wise choices, to see things with more than just our eyes; people who are willing to chastise and correct us when we are making questionable choices. Hmmm...I believe Beth would refer to this as 'accountability'. That word just keeps coming back; it is so vital and necessary! We also need to help keep our truth-tellers healthy. Don't ignore them. Don't pretend their words of truth don't matter. Allow them to help you process...or should I say 'digest' those areas of concern in your life. Allow them to help you get rid of the waste and hang on to the 'nutrition' in your life. Discerning,healthy truth-tellers need encouragement. It's hard to keep telling the truth if that person never feels as though it is making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Do you have 'truth-tellers' in your life? Help them to stay healthy by doing a 'cleanse' for them every once in a while. How? Know that they are a gift from God. Thank them; encourage them; understand that their job can feel very dirty...but somebody has to do it!
Thanks for reading,
Libby
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